jeff if u read back couple pages some one mentioned that they thought it was vee antenna cable
me personally i don't think it is.... i was thinking more along the lines of it being a earth cable due to its length as it would start from one engine route round plane earth in, wings tail etc then to other engine i.e protection from lightning...
and if it isn't that
the Electra was carrying a life raft dingy, they have that black rope\wire that runs round top think its like a safety rope, so depending on size of raft it could be off that
also if u go back to the picture i posted showing what i thought were anchors, well the rope ends directly in front of it...
an believe it or not were the anchor is, it is at 11 o clock when ur looking at radial engine pic i posted yesterday an rope is in front of engine
sort of makes sense but i dismissed it on the grounds it was to easy to be that
anyway don't be disheartened jeff, we will find out eventually why it's there
keep up the good work